KLA Veterans in Protest Over Limaj's Detention

Around two hundred Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, veterans protested in Pristina demanding the release of their ex commander, Fatmir Limaj and three other ex comrades, all defendants in the Klecka case.

Edona Peci

BIRN

Pristina

Shouting “KLA, KLA, KLA” and “Freedom for liberators”, the protesters held photos of Limaj and banners highlighting their request in front of one of the EU Rule of Law Mission, EULEX, buildings in the centre of Pristina.

Muharrem Xhemajli, the head of the Organization of War Veterans described the EULEX’s decision to keep Limaj and three other ex KLA fighters in detention as “absurd and unfounded” urging the mission to stop their “witch-hunt” against former KLA members.

Limaj and his three co-defendants in the “Kleçka” case, Naser Krasniqi, Nexhmi Krasniqi and Naser Shala, were placed in detention for one month on November 26.

EULEX had said there was “a risk of flight and a risk of tampering with evidence” in respect of all accused in view of the fact they were charged with very serious alleged criminal offences”.

“EULEX’s political games aim to damage the war KLA fought”, Xhemajli stressed.

On May 2, Limaj and three other ex KLA members were acquitted of all charges of war crimes committed during the Kosovo war in the so called Klecka case.

However, the EULEX prosecution appealed the verdict and on November 20 the case was sent to a retrial.

“We will not sit with our hands crossed. We will persevere in asking for an end to all those processes against the KLA fighters,” Xhavit Jashari, the head of the KLA War Martyr Family’s Association said.

About

The Balkan Transitional Justice initiative is a regional initiative funded by the European Commission (2012-2014), the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office FCO and Robert Bosch Stiftung that aims to improve the general public’s understanding of transitional justice issues in former Yugoslav countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia).